


No Matter What The Future Holds

by Araloth



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Boyfriends, Established Relationship, Heart-to-Heart, Insecurity, M/M, Talking, Worry, s3e4 Triggers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-17 01:34:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21046124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Araloth/pseuds/Araloth
Summary: Eddie finds out about Buck's lawsuits against Bobby and the city and goes to have a serious talk with Buck.





	No Matter What The Future Holds

Buck really shouldn’t have been surprised when the pounding knock started coming from his apartment door. He sighed and reluctantly pulled himself off of the couch. The knocking just kept getting louder.

“Relax alright?” Buck ground out. “I’m coming…”

The knocking finally did stop, but from the sounds of it only because the person standing outside his apartment had given up waiting for Buck and was just unlocking the door themselves. Buck sighed again and got to the door just in time for Eddie to open it himself and glared at Buck.

“Yeah?” Buck asked weakly.

Eddie’s glare only intensified.

“Uh-“ Buck rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Did something happen with Chris or-“

“You’re suing the city?” Eddie asked.

“Oh…” Buck nodded sheepishly.

“And the department? And _Bobby_?”

Buck nodded again.

“And-“ Eddie was looking pretty murderous at this point- "I have to find all of this out from Bobby because you didn't bother to tell me yourself?”

"M-my lawyer said I shouldn't have contact with any of you guys for a while as the case unfolds," Buck said meekly. "I had to tell Bobby myself but you were already dealing with a lot…"

"So what was your big plan?" Eddie asked. "You'd just stop coming over, or answering my calls and hope I didn't notice? How did you think I was going to react to that Buck? Hell, how did you think _Christopher_ was going to handle that?

Buck winced. “I didn’t think-“

"No you didn't" Eddie muscled his way past Buck and into his apartment. "Because I'm pretty sure the whole ‘no contact dating the lawsuit' thing doesn't work when you're dating someone from the 118. And that just made me the first one to come over here. I'm pretty sure everyone else will be lining up to give you a piece of their minds on that pretty soon too."

Buck shut the door to his apartment and followed Eddie inside. He practically collapsed back onto his couch and looked up at Eddie, half defeated. "Sorry… I didn't ask my lawyer about us… I should have. I just…”

“Your lawyer being that skeezy guy from the fire drill?”

Buck nodded.

Eddie sighed and flopped down onto the couch next to Buck. "Look- I know we shouldn't talk about your lawsuit. Which-" Eddie grit his teeth. "Okay fine… but you have to tell me what's going on with you. What made you decide to do this?"

“It’s just… this whole time I’ve been fighting to get my job back I thought all of you guys were right there with me…” Buck started quietly.

"We are," Eddie said firmly. He squeezed Buck's hand. "We all want you back. You have to know that."

Buck shook his head. "Not Bobby. He was asking him about trying to show the higher-ups that you all thought I was ready to come back… some kind of letter of support you know? He told me he was the one who said I wasn't ready yet…"

“Buck…” Eddie grimaced.

“How could he do that?” Buck’s voice was choked with emotion. “I thought he was my friend…”

“He is.” Eddie’s voice brooked no disagreement. “He just wants to make sure you’re safe Buck.”

"I just- I have to get back," Buck said quietly. "I know I'm ready… I can’t take not being there…”

“I thought you were enjoying the whole fire marshal thing?” Eddie gave him a small smile. “Math and all…”

“I was.” Buck laughed weakly.

Eddie waited patiently for a minute or two and the squeezed Buck’s hand again. “What’s going on Buck?”

“I just- Cap gave away my locker…”

“You mean Bosko.” Eddie frowned. “Buck she’s just temporary. She’s not replacing you.”

Buck shrugged. “Maybe not her, but the longer I’m gone…” He trailed off. “I know I was having fun with the fire marshal assessment, but you guys really are a man down. If I’m not there somebody will have to be…”

“Hey-“ Eddie put a hand on Buck’s cheek and tilted his head around so he could look directly into his boyfriend’s eyes. “Nobody is going to replace you alright? I don’t care how many people the 118 might have or not have- there’s always going to be a place there for you okay?”

“Not if I lose my lawsuit…”

Eddie winced. Privately, he did have his doubts about Buck’s lawsuit. Eddie was no legal expert, but he thought it had to be kind of hard to argue wrongful termination if Buck was still technically working for the fire department as the new fire marshal. Sure it was a different job, and not the one Buck wanted to be doing, but the department hadn’t fired him. And deep down as much as Eddie wanted Buck back, he completely understood where Bobby was coming from. The safety of everyone else at the fire wasn’t Eddie’s responsibility, but he wanted them and Buck as safe as possible. If Buck came back too soon and got hurt because of the blood thinners… Eddie forced himself to pull away from that line of thought. Eddie didn’t want to go there, and thinking like wasn’t going to help Buck any. Eddie had a suspicion that deep down Buck knew his chances of winning the lawsuit weren’t good, but Buck just wanted to come back so badly he was risking it all on the lawsuit anyways. Eddie had never really understood some people’s hatred for lawyers, but there was one particular lawyer he definitely wasn’t a fan of now. Eddie may or may not have started picturing the man’s face when he worked out on a punching bag. The shady lawyer from the fire drill had just been out to make quick money. Buck to him was just another potential cash grab. Buck was potentially risking his whole future on this lawyer's crazy suit, and the lawyer knew it. Eddie sighed. "Look, Buck…" Eddie paused and squeezed Buck's hand again. "You're right. Nobody can know how the lawsuit will go. But win or lose I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to be here and so will Christopher. So will everybody from the 118…"

Buck shook his head. "They're all gonna hate me now, aren't they? Bobby especially…"

"No Buck-" Eddie almost laughed, but he knew that wouldn't help any. "Look some of them might be blindsided a bit sure. I was too. And I'm sure it's not going to be easy for Bobby at first. But we all love you regardless. It's like you said- we're family alright? And families may fight sometimes or have disagreements but they're still there for you.”

Buck nodded a little, but he stayed quiet. From what Eddie could tell and what Maddie had said to him Buck seemed to be bouncing back and forth between extreme optimism over his case and deep-seated worry. Eddie looped an arm around Buck’s shoulders and pulled him into a hug. As much as Eddie hated it the die had been cast. The lawsuit was in the works now, and there wasn’t anything Eddie or Buck could do to change the outcome. But Eddie would do exactly as he'd promised. He'd support Buck regardless. He'd be here with Buck every day until the decision was made, and either celebrate with him afterward or help pick up the pieces if Buck lost. Because that's what family did.


End file.
